LONDON (ShareCast) - Supermarkets are recovering, having fallen in the wake of Marks and Spencer’s Wednesday profit warning. J Sainsbury moves higher after the Qatari Investment Authority lifted its stake in the business to 26% from 25.3%. Wm Morrison benefited from a note from Shore Capital hailing its defensive qualities. Tesco also rose.

Friends Provident leads the insurance sector lower on reports that pensions group Swiss Life is no longer interested in buying Lombard, FP’s high end insurance unit. Legal and General and Standard Life also fall back.

Top performing sectors so far today
Food & Drug Retailers 4,088.90 +3.79%
Industrial Transportation 2,196.60 +0.87%
Tobacco 22,215.10 +0.55%

Bottom performing sectors so far today
Life Insurance 3,828.30 -3.85%
Banks 6,079.30 -2.80%
Travel & Leisure 3,998.80 -2.53%
Household Goods 4,811.90 -2.46%

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